Page 18 - Pakistan Link - November 15, 2019

P18 – PAKISTAN LINK – NOVEMBER 15, 2019 COMMUNITY
Impressive Shahid Afridi Foundation Event in Sacramento

n By Ras H. Siddiqui to mention that Shahid Afridi also liers. Needless to say, Afridi became video to my kids on how other poor It belongs to all of us. He also said
known as “Boom Boom Afridi” was associated with bringing a new level and struggling children are living. that Adnan and he have travelled all
he Shahid Afridi Founda- one of the most exciting individuals of excitement to the field whenever We are trying to help them. So my over the world but there is no coun-
tion (SAF) is an organi- to have donned the uniform of any and wherever he played. He could kids say alright go out to help them try as beautiful as our homeland.
Tzation established in the national cricket team in the world. be out for a duck (zero) or score big but do return home as quickly as It just needs people to make an ef-
year 2014 to assist in helping the Let us just say that Lala (his other while tens of thousands at stadiums possible!’ fort to give back. He added that the
struggling segments of society in nickname) played the sometimes and millions watched on their tele- Shahid Afridi said that helping problems there are many but point-
Pakistan. Its American wing had slow and boring game like a fear- vision screens and held their breath. yourself and living a life of ease and ing fingers at the government is
arranged for a fundraising tour of less Afridi. For those readers who His critical batting role in sailing luxury is much easier, but helping not enough. The issue of educating
California on the weekend of No- may not be able to relate, the Afridis Pakistan to victory in their one and others is a bigger effort and a more the children of Pakistan is in itself
vember 8th through 10th starting are a major tribe of the Pakhtuns or only T20 World Cup victory in 2009 noble cause. There is no religion a challenge. He asked everyone to
in Sacramento, followed by the Pashtuns (from the Afghanistan- (against Sri Lanka) is also etched bigger than humanity. He spoke of “own” the Shahid Afridi Foundation
San Francisco Bay area and ending Pakistan border mountain area) in many memories. We never gave the genesis of the SAF effort and the and consider it theirs in the process
in Los Angeles. whom we flatlanders from the rest up hope until Afridi left the field. services that it has successfully ren- of helping others. Please support
This writer was lucky to catch of Bangladesh, India and Pakistan Hence “Hope Not Out” was, and is, dered, especially the hospital that it, said Afridi. Our readers are en-
the Friday night program held at the call Pathans. a valid slogan. has been built and is functioning in couraged to visit the SAF website
Hilton Arden-West on its first leg And why has Shahid Afridi re- At this event Shahid Afridi first three years’ time. He added that in at https://safoundation.us/ to find
and was pleasantly greeted by a full mained an attraction? That could thanked Adnan Siddiqui for tak- most cases people travel from villag- more information on the work be-
hall of cricket enthusiasts and gener- become a very long and dreary ing the time to help and then ev- es to bigger cities for medical treat- ing done by this organization.
ous donors from both the Pakistani write-up on the history of the Paki- eryone else for attending here, and ment but in this case people from It was good to witness the fun-
and Indian community of the area. stan Cricket Team of the past 23 for supporting and tolerating him cities travel to a village for quality draiser that followed Shahid Afridi’s
The attraction for many here being years or so during which Lala played over the years both on and off the treatment. speech. Adnan Siddiqui was won-
(as the name SAF relays) the pres- for the national team (1996 on- field. He spoke in Urdu so an ex- Afridi spoke of the Thar area in derful (he is not a relative) and not
ence of Cricket Great Shahid Khan wards). Afridi, a cricket all-rounder act or literal translation may not be Pakistan and the extreme difficulty because he is another Siddiqui ei-
Afridi the founding Chairman of (batsman & bowler) had held one of completely accurate here. He said faced by kids, women, and whole ther! But when Pathans and Urdu
the organization and Actor Adnan the longest records in the game for that life after cricket for him would families there in fetching water over speakers get on the same platform
Siddiqui. The evening proceedings the fastest century (100 runs) scored be like Adnan’s life after acting. He long distances. We don’t appreci- and are supported by the Punjabi
were also assisted by Najam Usmani. off just 37 balls which included elev- added that his daughter said to him, ate how easy we have it, he said. He majority of our community positive
The organizational slogan of en towering sixes (also a record in ‘Papa before you were busy playing added that seeing people willing to things happen. It was also hearten-
SAF is “Hope Not Out” and al- a one-day match). That record was cricket and now you are busy with help really motivates me further to ing to see some participation from
though there may be many dissent- finally broken by Corey Anderson the foundation, what do you want to help others who are struggling. He Sacramento’s Indian community
ing opinions of cricket connois- of New Zealand in 2014 and later do? How can one answer? You have said that Pakistan does not belong here too. The game of cricket can
seurs, it may not be far off the mark again by South African AB de Vil- all seen the video and I showed that to any one political party or group. and still does bring us together.

PURPOSE FROM P17 range of the “clash of civilizations” dis- have seen preached, but is it really lack of dialogue in our generation, promotion of interfaith dialogue in
festered and grew into a phenomenon course; Shah focusing on the societal enforced? we realized there needs to be more law school and beyond. As a young
much larger, resulting in the idea of and sociological aspects of the clash If anything, differences should voices on such an important topic. student of Islam, Anjali hopes to
commonalities and shared values be- of civilizations while Suleman focused be celebrated among people, not If we promote dialogue, as we have work on intermingling between cul-
tween Americans and the “Muslim more on the foreign policy implica- highlighted in order to create tension learned from our class, we can reach tures and faiths. - as2497a@student.
community” to be overlooked. Ambas- tions and examples. and heightened polarization. The farther, attainable goals. This is ulti- american.edu
sador Arsalan highlighted that while As research students from In- contribution to dialogue in order to mately the paramount challenge of Mayra Bokhari is an undergrad-
topics surrounding Islam may seem dian and Pakistani backgrounds, we cease these tensions is through edu- our times. The purpose of life? Make uate student studying International
like a new phenomenon, the fact is that are all part of the larger journey to cation. Our biggest take-way is that every effort to understand others so Studies with a minor in Management
Islam has been interwoven throughout intermingle, but how and who we our generation plays a critical role that everyone can live together com- and Leadership at American Uni-
American history in many intermin- learn this from, has a great effect on in enforcing intermingling and true fortably. versity in Washington, DC. Mayra
gling scenarios. Examples of Islam’s our efforts. Among the two speak- understanding and empathy among (Anjali Singh is an under- hopes to continue further studies
thread in American tapestry dates to ers, it became even more palpable people in society regardless of race, graduate student studying political post-undergraduate in peace, ethics,
the first iftaar being held in the White that we are living in a time of un- gender, religion. science and international service at and conflict resolution. As a young
House with President Jefferson to two certainty and chaos. Intermingling As our class expanded to in- American University in Washington, student of Islam, Mayra works to
copies of the Qur’an in his personal among societies and a “dialogue of corporate guest speakers to dis- D.C. Anjali hopes to continue her create a dialogue among people -
library. It was fascinating to see the civilizations” is something that we cuss the clash of civilizations and passion for international law and the sb2496a@student.american.edu)
www.PakistanLink.com